Cummins Diesel Engine, Problems, Take Two

by John April 6, 2010
Cummins marine engine with head removed.

We are in the throes of re-powering Morgan’s Cloud, and as far as we are concerned, this unpleasant and expensive task has come about 4000 engine hours too early.

Cummins Engine—Rebuild Or Replace?

by John April 16, 2010
Top of the Cummins marine engine with head removed.

Initially we were firmly in the rebuild camp, as were most of the experts we consulted. After all, at 6000 hours our engine is, in the words of David in his comment, “[a] baby and has many hours running [still] available”. Rebuilding would also save all the expense and aggravation of changing all kinds of [...]

Selection Criteria For The New Engine For Morgan’s Cloud

by John April 27, 2010
3 blade feathering Max-Prop marine prop.

The Cummins was a six cylinder naturally aspirated (no turbo-charger) 5.9 litre diesel that theoretically put out 120 horse power (HP) at 2800 RPM.  (I say “theoretically”, because we suspect that it never did develop its specified horse power or torque due to the blow-by problem.) It swung a 21 inch MaxProp through  a Velvet [...]

New Engine For Morgan’s Cloud—What We Chose

by John May 5, 2010
Perkins Sabre M92

We decided that we wanted to stick with a simple machine without a turbo-charger or a controlling computer (more on this in a future post). And that we wanted an engine based on a block designed for commercial/industrial use, and to run for at least 10,000 hours without rebuild and with only routine maintenance—this is [...]

Engine Installation—The Devil Is In The Details

by John July 16, 2010
Morgan's Cloud's engine room showing new engine installation.

Back in March, when we were crossing the US/Canada border heading for Maine to start the re-power project on Morgan’s Cloud, a US Homeland Security officer asked the usual questions about what the purpose of our visit was. After I explained that we were replacing the engine in our boat, he asked how long we [...]

Perkins M92B, Initial Report Card

by John October 23, 2010
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We have long believed that the prevalence of high revving lightly built engines installed in sailboats, particularly those boats built in recent years, is often more about ease of availability to the builder and initial price than making the best choice to give long term economical service to the owner. Particularly an owner, like many [...]

Setting The Pitch On A Feathering Propeller

by John April 15, 2011
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Getting ready to launch Morgan’s Cloud after her annual haul, which includes lubricating and polishing her three blade Max-Prop. A fascinating and very informative comment stream got going on Colin’s recent review of feathering propellers, and one of the subjects discussed was the correct pitch setting for these propellers.

Gear Test—Engine

by John January 7, 2012
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As most of our regular readers know, we just completed a 10,000 mile, eight month voyage to the Arctic and back on Morgan’s Cloud, our 56-f00t McCurdy and Rhodes aluminum cutter. A voyage that constituted a gruelling test of all the gear on the boat. Here is our report on how the engine and drive-train [...]